New Orleans City Council President JP Morrell says Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s recent promotional mailer was a misuse of public funds, and probably a felony.
“When you start bifurcating mail to only target voters, you have gone off the rails of government,” Morrell told WWL's Newell Normand.
Morrell is citing Louisiana law which he says states, “No public funds shall be used to urge any elector to vote for or against any candidate or proposition, or be appropriated to a candidate or political organization.”
The statute goes on to state that whoever violates any provision of that section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than two years or both.
Meanwhile, New Orleans Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano has sent a letter stating that the Cantrell administration is asking for a legal opinion.
"The Office of Communications has asked the Law Department to research and determine the legality of such a mailer," Montano stated.
He acknowledged that no legal opinion was sought before a private PR firm was hired to produce the promotional material that celebrated the mayor's "accomplishments."
Montano said the cost of postage for the mailer was more than $32,000 and the printing cost was more than $18,000.
The CAO said he does not have answers to all of the questions surrounding the allegedly illegal mailer.
“I do not have the totality of the information for a complete response at this time, and there are a number of issue that are still being researched and investigated.”
